JP2003341352A - Hybrid compressor system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a hybrid compressor system capable of smoothly carrying out the changeover operation of a drive source without the interruption of cooling operation, not requiring complicated control, when the drive source of a hybrid compressor is switched from an electric motor to an engine. <P>SOLUTION: The hybrid compressor constituting a refrigerating cycle is equipped with a one-way clutch on a power transmission path with the engine. When the drive source of the hybrid compressor is switched to the engine from the electric motor part, the electric motor is stopped after the engine in a suspension state starts up. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a hybrid compressor system equipped with a hybrid compressor for compressing a refrigerant, which is used by switching between power from an engine which is a driving source for driving a vehicle and power from an electric motor.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as a hybrid compressor for a vehicle air conditioner, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-6767 has been proposed.
There is one disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 3 publication. In the technique of this publication, when the drive source of the hybrid compressor is switched from the electric motor to the engine, the rotational speed of the electric motor is made to match the rotational speed of the engine, and then the power transmission path between the engine and the hybrid compressor is set. The electromagnetic clutch disposed above is turned on (connected).

Therefore, even if the drive source is switched, the refrigerant compression by the hybrid compressor, that is, the cooling by the air conditioner is not interrupted, and a good cooling feeling can be provided. Further, since the drive sources are switched smoothly, it is possible to prevent an uncomfortable shock when the electromagnetic clutch is turned on, which is caused by a difference in rotational speed between the hybrid compressor and the engine.

[0004]

However, in the technique of the above publication, the complicated control of matching the rotation speed of the electric motor with the rotation speed of the engine and then turning on the electromagnetic clutch must be performed. However, there has been a problem that the calculation load of the control device becomes large.

The object of the present invention is to achieve the switching of the drive source of the hybrid compressor from the electric motor to the engine, smoothly switching the cooling source without interruption and without complicated control. To provide a hybrid compressor system.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, a hybrid compressor system according to the invention of claim 1 is a hybrid compressor, a motor drive means,
The rotation state detecting means and the drive source switching means are provided.
The hybrid compressor is used by switching between power from an engine, which is a driving source for running a vehicle, and power from an electric motor. A one-way clutch is provided on the power transmission path between the hybrid compressor and the engine.

Regarding the one-way rotation, the one-way clutch allows the power transmission from the engine to the hybrid compressor, but does not allow the power transmission from the hybrid compressor (electric motor) to the engine. Therefore, when the electric motor is stopped, the driving force of the engine is transmitted to the hybrid compressor via the one-way clutch. On the contrary, when the engine is stopped, the transmission of the driving force from the electric motor to the engine is interrupted by the one-way clutch.

The motor driving means is for driving the electric motor, and the rotation state detecting means is for detecting the rotation state of the engine. When the drive source of the hybrid compressor is switched from the electric motor to the engine, the drive source switching means stops the electric motor after the rotation state detecting means detects that the engine in the stopped state has started to rotate. Command the driving means.

Due to its structure, the one-way clutch has a characteristic that when the electric motor and the engine are both in a rotating state, the one capable of rotating the hybrid compressor is positioned as its drive source. is doing. Therefore, if the electric motor is stopped by the drive source switching means after the rotation of the engine is started, the engine naturally moves (in other words, the electromagnetic speed is reached when the engine reaches a rotational speed at which the hybrid compressor can rotate faster than the electric motor. The drive source of the hybrid compressor is switched from the electric motor to the engine instantaneously (without external control such as a clutch). In this way, by the simple control of stopping the electric motor after the engine starts rotating, it becomes possible to switch the drive source of the hybrid compressor smoothly without interruption of cooling.

The invention of claim 2 refers to the invention according to claim 1, in which a preferable timing for stopping the electric motor by the drive source switching means is mentioned. That is, the rotation state detecting means detects whether or not the engine has started. The drive source switching means instructs the motor drive means to stop the electric motor after the engine is started.

That is, for example, it is assumed that the electric motor is stopped during the engine rotation state before starting, that is, during the engine starting period. In this case, the drive source of the hybrid compressor is switched from the electric motor to the engine during the engine starting period,
It certainly causes a problem that the startability of the engine is deteriorated. As one consideration that does not cause this problem,
In the present invention, the electric motor is stopped after the engine is started.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the second aspect, the engine is provided with a starter motor. The drive source switching means is configured to drive the electric motor so that the electric motor drives the hybrid compressor at a rotational speed higher than an assumed rotational speed of the hybrid compressor determined by the rotational speed of the starter motor during the engine starting period by the starter motor. Command.

Therefore, the drive source of the hybrid compressor is reliably maintained by the electric motor during the starting period of the engine, and the drive source is switched to the engine (strictly speaking, the starter motor for starting the engine) during the starting period. It is possible to prevent an increase in the load on the starter motor due to this. Therefore, the startability of the engine can be improved even with a small starter motor. The hypothetical rotational speed of the hybrid compressor determined by the rotational speed of the starter motor is, for example, the hybrid compressor in the case where the rotational force is transmitted from the engine driven by the starter motor while the electric motor is stopped. Is the rotation speed of.

[0014]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION An embodiment of the present invention will be described below. As shown in FIG. 1, a hybrid compressor (hereinafter simply referred to as a compressor) C for compressing a refrigerant, which constitutes a refrigeration cycle of a vehicle air conditioner, is
A piston type variable displacement compression mechanism 1 in the housing 11.
2 are accommodated. In the piston type compression mechanism 12, the rotational movement of the swash plate 14 accompanying the rotation of the rotating shaft 13 causes
It has a known configuration in which the refrigerant gas is compressed by being converted into the reciprocating motion of the piston 16 via 5.

In the compressor C, the housing 1
The outer side of the rotary shaft 1 is coaxial with the rotary shaft 13.
A power transmission mechanism PT for inputting power to 3 is mounted. The power transmission mechanism PT includes a pulley 17 and an electric motor section 38 as an electric motor.

The pulley 17 is rotatably supported by the housing 11 and transmits power from an engine (internal combustion engine) E, which is a driving source of the vehicle, to the rotary shaft 13. The engine E is equipped with a starter motor S for starting the engine. During the start-up period by the starter motor S, the power of the starter motor S is input to the pulley 17 via the engine E. In the present specification, not only the spontaneous rotation of the engine E, but also the driven rotation by the starter motor S before the start of the engine E
Is in a rotating state.

The electric motor section 38 is used, for example, when the rotating shaft 13 is driven when the engine E is stopped. Since the compressor C includes the electric motor unit 38, air conditioning (cooling) is possible even when the engine E is stopped, and the air conditioner of the present embodiment can be said to be a mode suitable for an idling stop vehicle or a hybrid vehicle.

Next, the power transmission mechanism PT will be described in detail. The rotary shaft 13 of the compression mechanism 12 is a housing 11
Is rotatably supported, and its front end portion penetrates the front wall of the housing 11 and projects to the outside. A boss portion 35 for the rotating shaft 13 is integrally provided on the front wall of the housing 11 so as to project therefrom.

The pulley 17 comprises an upstream pulley member 18 and a downstream pulley member 19 which are arranged coaxially. A belt 20 from the engine E is hung on the outer circumference of the upstream pulley member 18. The upstream pulley member 18 is rotatably supported by the boss portion 35 of the housing 11 via a bearing 25.

The downstream pulley member 19 has a rotary shaft 13
Is supported by a hub 30 fixed to the front end portion of the vehicle via a first one-way clutch 31 as a one-way clutch. Upstream pulley member 18 and downstream pulley member 19
Are connected to each other via a power transmission pin 28, which also functions as a breakage type torque limiter, and a rubber damper 29 for alleviating variations in transmission torque between the pulley members 18 and 19.

The first one-way clutch 31 includes a roller type clutch mechanism portion 31a and a bearing portion 31b. Regarding the rotation in one direction, the clutch mechanism portion 31a allows the power transmission from the downstream pulley member 19 to the hub 30, but does not allow the power transmission from the hub 30 to the downstream pulley member 19. Therefore, when the upstream pulley member 18 is rotated in one direction by driving the engine E when the electric motor unit 38 is stopped, the downstream pulley member 19 is also rotated in one direction via the power transmission pin 28 and the rubber damper 29. However, this rotational force is input to the rotary shaft 13 via the first one-way clutch 31 and the hub 30.

On the contrary, when the engine E is stopped,
When the rotating shaft 13 is rotationally driven in one direction by the electric motor unit 38, this rotational force is transmitted to the first one-way clutch 31 via the hub 30. However, the clutch mechanism portion 31a of the first one-way clutch 31 does not allow the power transmission from the hub 30 to the downstream pulley member 19, so that the power of the electric motor portion 38 is transmitted to the engine E, in other words, electric power is transmitted. It is possible to prevent the power generated by the motor unit 38 from being consumed except for driving the compression mechanism 12.

A sealed space 27 is formed in the pulley 17 by joining the upstream pulley member 18 and the downstream pulley member 19. In the closed space 27, the rotor 45 that constitutes the electric motor unit 38 is attached to the rotary shaft 13.
Are mounted via the second one-way clutch 44. The rotor 45 includes an iron core 45a and a coil 45b wound around the iron core 45a. On the outer peripheral side of the rotor 45 in the closed space 27, a stator 49 composed of a magnet, which constitutes the electric motor portion 38, is arranged. Therefore, in the electric motor unit 38, the rotor 45 is rotated by supplying electric power from the outside to the coil 45b.

Like the first one-way clutch 31, the second one-way clutch 44 has a clutch mechanism portion 44a.
And a bearing portion 44b. Clutch mechanism section 4
Reference numeral 4a relates to "one-way rotation" described in the description of the first one-way clutch 31, and allows power transmission from the rotor 45 to the rotary shaft 13, but does not allow power transmission from the rotary shaft 13 to the rotor 45.

Therefore, when the electric motor section 38 is started when the engine E is stopped, the rotational force of the rotor 45 is transmitted to the rotary shaft 13 via the second one-way clutch 44. On the contrary, when the electric motor unit 38 is stopped,
Even if the rotating shaft 13 is rotated by the driving of the engine E, this rotational force is not input to the rotor 45, and the rotor driving load of the engine E can be reduced.

Next, the control device that constitutes the hybrid compressor system together with the compressor C will be described in detail. As shown in FIG. 1, the control device for the compressor C includes an air conditioner ECU 51 that is an electronic control unit similar to a computer, an information detection unit 52 that provides various information to the air conditioner ECU 51, and an electric motor unit 38 that serves as a motor drive unit. And a driver 53. The information detection means 52 is a switch / sensor (not shown) for detecting air conditioning information such as an air conditioner switch and a temperature sensor, and a rotation speed as rotation state detection means for detecting the rotation speed Ne of the engine E. Sensor 52a
And so on.

The air conditioner ECU 51 switches the drive source of the compressor C based on the air conditioning information from the information detecting means 52, the rotation speed information Ne of the engine E and the like. That is, for example, when the vehicle is in the idling stop state (stop state of the engine E), the drive source of the compressor C is instructed by instructing the driver 53 to start the electric motor unit 38 based on the air conditioning (cooling) request. Is an electric motor unit 38. In addition, when the vehicle is in the normal running state (starting state of the engine E), the electric motor unit 3
By instructing the driver 53 to stop No. 8, the drive source of the compressor C is the engine E. Since the compression mechanism 12 of the compressor C is of a variable discharge capacity type, the air conditioner ECU 51 minimizes the discharge capacity of the compression mechanism 12 when cooling is not required when the engine E is activated.

When the air conditioner ECU 51, which is a drive source switching means, switches the drive source of the compressor C from the electric motor section 38 to the engine E, the flow chart of FIG. 2 and FIG.
Characteristic control as shown in the time charts of (a) and (b) is performed.

When the electric motor section 38 is stopped, the engine E provided by the rotation speed sensor 52a is provided.
The rotational speed of the compressor C (rotary shaft 13) is determined by the rotational speed information Ne of No. 1 and the pulley ratio between the power transmission mechanism PT and the engine E which is not known as “1”. However, in FIG. 3B, for easy understanding, the pulley ratio between the power transmission mechanism PT and the engine E is shown as “1”.

As shown in FIG. 2, the air conditioner ECU 5
1 indicates that the compressor C is driven by the electric motor unit 38 when the vehicle is in the idling stop state (the engine E is stopped).
When is driven, step (hereinafter referred to as S)
At 101, based on the rotation speed information Ne from the rotation speed sensor 52a, whether the starter motor S has been started,
That is, it is monitored whether or not the engine E has changed from the stopped state to the started state (following rotational state). S101
If the determination is NO, that is, if the rotation speed information Ne is zero, the start-up motor S is continuously monitored for activation.

If the determination in S101 is YES, it is determined that the engine E has changed from the stopped state to the started state, and the rotational speed N of the electric motor section 38 is determined in S102.
The driver 53 is instructed to set m to a predetermined value γ. Figure 3
As shown in (b), the predetermined value γ is the rotational speed Ne (= α) of the engine E determined by the rotational speed of the starter motor S.
It is a value faster than the above, that is, a value faster than the assumed rotation speed of the compressor C (rotating shaft 13) determined by the rotation speed of the starter motor S.

In FIG. 3B, the electric motor unit 3
The rotation speed Nm of 8 is indicated by the predetermined value γ even before the starter motor S is started. However, this is for easy understanding, and in reality, it should be changed according to the cooling load or the like at that time.

Due to the structure of the first one-way clutch 31, when both the electric motor section 38 and the engine E are in the rotating state, the one that can rotate the rotating shaft 13 faster drives the compressor C. It has the characteristic of being positioned as a source. Therefore, as described above, the engine E
Speed Nm of the electric motor unit 38 during the starting period of
Is a predetermined value γ, the load for driving the compressor C is applied to the electric motor unit 38, and the drive load of the compressor C is not applied to the starter motor S.

In S103, it is determined whether the rotation speed Ne of the engine E has exceeded a predetermined value β. As shown in FIG. 3, the predetermined value β is the rotational speed Ne (= α) of the engine E that is driven to rotate by the drive of the starter motor S.
When the rotation speed Ne of the engine E exceeds the predetermined value β, the start-up of the engine E is successful. If the determination in S103 is NO, the process proceeds to S102, the rotation speed Nm of the electric motor unit 38 is maintained at a predetermined value γ, and the startup monitoring of the engine E in S103 is continued.

If the determination of S103 is YES, the process proceeds to S104, and the driver 53 is instructed to stop the electric motor unit 38. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 3B, the magnitude relationship between the rotational speeds Ne and Nm of the engine E that has been started and the electric motor unit 38 that shifts to the stopped state is reversed. As shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B, when the rotation speed Ne of the engine E exceeds the rotation speed Nm of the electric motor unit 38, the action of the first one-way clutch 31 causes a natural action (in other words, an electromagnetic clutch). That is, the drive source of the compressor C is switched from the electric motor unit 38 to the engine E instantly (without external control).

The present embodiment having the above-described structure has the following effects. (1) As described above, by the simple control of stopping the electric motor unit 38 after the engine E starts rotating, the drive source of the compressor C is smoothly driven from the electric motor unit 38 to the engine E without interruption of cooling. Can be switched to. Air conditioning E
This leads to a reduction in the calculation load of the CU 51.

(2) When the drive source of the compressor C is switched from the electric motor section 38 to the engine E, the electric motor section 38 is stopped at a suitable timing after the engine E is started. That is, for example, it is assumed that the configuration is adopted in which the electric motor unit 38 is stopped during the rotation state of the engine E before starting, that is, during the starting period of the engine E. In this case, the drive source of the compressor C is switched from the electric motor unit 38 to the engine E during the starting period of the engine E, which certainly causes a problem that the startability of the engine E deteriorates. As one consideration that does not cause this problem, in this embodiment, the electric motor unit 38 is stopped after the engine E is started.

In particular, in this embodiment, the engine E
During the start-up period, the electric motor unit 38 commands the driver 53 to drive the compressor C at a rotation speed higher than the assumed rotation speed of the compressor C determined by the rotation speed of the starter motor S. Therefore, during the starting period of the engine E, the drive source of the compressor C is reliably maintained by the electric motor section 38, and during the starting period, the drive source is the engine E (strictly speaking, the starter motor S for starting the engine E). It is possible to prevent an increase in the load on the starter motor S due to the switching to. Therefore, the startability of the engine E can be improved even with the small starter motor S.

It should be noted that, for example, the following embodiments can be carried out without departing from the spirit of the present invention. When the drive source of the compressor C is switched from the electric motor unit 38 to the engine E, in the above-described embodiment, the electric motor unit 38 is stopped at the same time when the rotation speed Ne of the engine E exceeds the predetermined value β. This is changed, and the timer is used to stop the electric motor unit 38 after a predetermined time elapses after the rotation speed Ne of the engine E exceeds the predetermined value β.

When the drive source of the compressor C is switched from the electric motor unit 38 to the engine E, in the above embodiment, the electric motor unit 38 is activated after the engine E is started.
Had been stopped. This is changed so that the electric motor unit 38 is stopped after the starter motor S is started (after the rotation speed Ne of the engine E becomes α). Even in this case, at the initial stage of startup when the rotation speed of the starter motor S is increased (when the rotation speed Ne is less than α),
The drive source of the compressor C can be prevented from being switched from the electric motor unit 38 to the engine E, and the starting load of the starter motor S can be reduced. Even in this case, the downsizing of the starter motor S can be achieved.

In the above embodiment, the roller type first
Change the one-way clutch 31 to another type of one-way clutch such as a sprag type. -In the above-mentioned embodiment, electric motor part 38 was built in power transmission mechanism PT. This is changed, and the electric motor unit 38 is housed in the housing 11 together with the compression mechanism 12. Alternatively, the electric motor unit 38 should be arranged separately from the compressor C.

The compression mechanism 12 is not limited to the piston type, and may be, for example, a scroll type, a vane type, a helical type, or the like.

[0043]

According to the present invention having the above-described structure, when the drive source of the hybrid compressor is switched from the electric motor to the engine, it is complicated to switch the drive source smoothly without interruption of cooling. It can be achieved without control.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a compressor.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating control for switching a drive source of a compressor from an electric motor unit to an engine.

3A and 3B are time charts regarding the processing of FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

31 ... First one-way clutch as one-way clutch, 38 ... Electric motor section as electric motor, 51 ...
Air conditioner ECU as drive source switching means, 52a ... Rotation speed sensor as rotation state detecting means, 53 ... Driver as motor driving means, C ... Hybrid compressor, E ... Engine, S ... Starter motor.

Front page continuation (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification code FI theme code (reference) F04B 35/00 F04B 35/00 Z 49/06 341 49/06 341H (72) Inventor Takashi Suzuki Toyota, Kariya city, Aichi prefecture 2-1-1, Machida Toyota Industries Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Shoichi Ieoka 2-1-1, Toyota-machi, Kariya, Aichi Prefecture In-house Toyota Industries Ltd., 72 2-chome, Toyota Industries Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor, Ryoto Yamanouchi 2-1-1, Toyota-machi, Kariya city, Aichi F-term, Toyota Industries Co., Ltd. (reference) 3H045 AA04 AA09 AA12 BA19 CA09 CA29 DA04 DA09 DA42 EA17 EA26 3H076 AA06 BB31 CC07 CC12 CC17

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A hybrid compressor for compressing a refrigerant, which is used by switching between power from an engine and power from an electric motor, which are driving sources for driving a vehicle, and a one-way clutch on a power transmission path with the engine. A hybrid compressor provided with, a motor driving means for driving the electric motor, a rotation state detecting means for detecting a rotation state of the engine, and a stop state when the drive source of the hybrid compressor is switched from the electric motor to the engine. A hybrid compressor system, comprising: drive source switching means for instructing the motor drive means to stop the electric motor after the rotation state detection means detects that an engine has started to rotate. 2. The rotation state detection means detects whether or not the engine has started, and the drive source switching means instructs the motor drive means to stop the electric motor after the engine has started. Hybrid compressor system. 3. The engine is provided with a starter motor, and the drive source switching means is a hypothetical rotational speed of a hybrid compressor determined by the rotational speed of the starter motor during the engine starting period by the starter motor. 3. The hybrid compressor system according to claim 2, wherein the electric motor commands the motor driving means to drive the hybrid compressor at a higher rotation speed.